Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT1261

Melatonin is a hormone that significantly impacts our sleep and circadian rhythms. It also influences glucose metabolism, but how exactly it happens is still unclear. Due to the Timing Model, low melatonin levels during the night may limit β-cell recovery, while high levels with food intake may lead to an increased risk of diabetes. Nowadays, the number of sleep disorders has increased, and a lot of people, including patients with type 2 diabetes, choose to take melatonin pills as these are available over the counter without a prescription. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between levels of melatonin, diabetes mellitus, and sleep disorders.

Methods: This was a quantitative research study with 77 patients included. Participants' ages ranged from 32 to 69 years (M=54,3, SD = 8,27), with 41 (53%) identified as female. Avarage HbA1c was 9,28±2,14. As for years from the beginning of diabetes - 7[ 5; 10,25]. All patients have confirmed diabetes mellitus type 2 and were screened for sleep disorders with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. Melatonin levels were indicated in the salvia, which was collected at night. We use the colorimetric method to test samples with the Melatonin Elisa kit (ab283258) supply. Statistical analysis was provided in Microsoft Office Excel.

Results: The study found that 45 patients (58%) had normal melatonin levels, 17 patients (22%) had elevated levels, and 15 patients (20%) had reduced levels. Among women, 12 patients (29%) had high levels, 7 patients (17%) had low levels, and 22 patients (54%) had normal levels. Among men, 5 patients (14%) had high levels, 8 patients (22%) had low levels, and 23 patients (64%) had normal levels. Furthermore, 25 participants (32.4%) scored above 5 on the PSQI, indicating poor sleep quality. Within this group, 3 patients (12%) had high melatonin levels, 7 patients (28%) had low levels, and 15 patients (60%) had normal levels. The correlation between melatonin levels and sleep disturbances was 0.11.

Conclusions: Melatonin levels have a weak correlation with sleep disorders, which means this hormone is not the leading cause of this problem. It is essential to check the level of melatonin before administering it to patients with diabetes to provide personalized treatment and avoid harming someone who has a normal or elevated level of melatonin.